February 2021 - Lowlands

There’s more distillation in the Lowlands than any other Scottish region, but its days as a significant single malt player are consigned to history.

This is the home of the blend, and of the large quantities of grain whisky whichform its foundation – but a few producers keep up the trademark light andgrassy Lowland malt style.

The Lowlands – like most of Scotland – were once a thriving hub of malt whisky production, until the need for grain to drive blended Scotch production made making single malt an almost forgotten art. But a few outposts preserve the old ways and a grassy, easy-drinking style of malt that still has many admirers.

We tasted four superb Lowland whiskies - the four distillleries marked with a yellow star on the map above:

The first whisky was Glenkinchie 12yo - aged in ex-Bourbon casks and with flowery nose described 'like breathing in a country garden' and a sweet smooth taste like crême anglaise, soon becoming flowery again.

Our second whiksy was Ailsa Bay 1.2 Sweet Smoke - the only Lowland peated single malt, given its aroma of fresh wood smoke with notes of smouldering damp heather and an extinguished bonfire' by being heated by peat from the Highlands.  It had an intriging flavour meandering between smoke, fruit and creamy toffee.

Our third whisky was Kingsbarns Family Reserve 2020 - from a new distillery only founded in 2014.  It had a strong floral note of jasmine and honeysuckle and a tasta of sugary shortbread, exotic fruits such as mango - delicious!

Our last whisky was Bladnock Samsara - from the most southerly distillery in Scotland.  Samsara, means ‘rebirth’ and the whisky was to celebrate reopening of distillery, is a full-bodied and fragrant blend of malts matured in ex Bourbon and ex Californian red wine casks.  It scored very highly, with a nose of vanilla cream, floral with fresh cut apples and a palate of thick vanilla fudge, sweet floral grass.  The winning whisky on the night.